Maisha Smart, B.A. 1994

1994 Major: Philosophy

How has being a Philosophy graduate from Duke helped shape you personally and/or professionally?

"Philosophy is an underlying fundamental that strengthened my ability to think critically. Today, it continues to aid me in making assessments using fuzzy logic and in maintaining a reputation for having sound and thoughtful perspectives."

What advice would you give students in Duke's Philosophy programs? 

"Be thoughtful in your exploration: There's really no limit to what you can do with Philosophy. It underlies everything we do from obvious subjective choices, e.g., lifestyle choice, to seemingly objective subjects, e.g., approach to mathematics. This flexibility makes it great as a standalone subject and also as a connector to/between other subjects."